Half-Pipe Shaped Charge for Precise IED Fuze Disruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disrupters for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) underwater face challenges in accurately disabling the fuzing system without over-pressurizing the container, risking explosion or miss-hitting the main charge, and conventional methods lack effective control over liquid jet parameters for tailored disruption.
Innovation Solution
The HPD (Half-Pipe Disrupter) uses a mass focusing high explosive shaped charge with a hemicylindrical or parabolic explosives shell, combined with SMART material and multi-point initiation, to form a narrow, controlled fluid jet that can be scaled and tailored for specific targets, ensuring safe disruption of IEDs underwater or on land.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional disrupter is used to flood an IED container underwater, then the container may be perforated, but the fuzing system may not be disabled and the main charge may be shock initiated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a highly focused, narrow fluid jet that concentrates disruptive force on a specific localized area (the fuzing system) rather than dispersing force throughout the entire container. This precise localization ensures the fuzing system is disabled while minimizing shock waves that could initiate the main charge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the fluid jet (narrow width, controlled length, high velocity) to achieve effective disruption. By controlling jet parameters such as width and velocity, the system delivers sufficient force to disable the fuzing system while maintaining low enough impact pressure to avoid shock initiation of the main charge.
2Area of stationary object
If the disrupter jet is made wider to ensure coverage of the target, then the entire target height is covered, but the impact pressure increases risking container burst
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by concentrating the jet's disruptive effect on the critical fuzing system area rather than distributing force across the entire container surface. This localized application allows effective disruption with minimal total energy, preventing container burst while ensuring fuzing system disablement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by targeting only the essential component (fuzing system) rather than attempting to disrupt the entire container uniformly. This selective approach uses minimal necessary force to achieve the rendering safe objective without excessive pressure that would cause container failure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the disrupter uses a narrow jet to minimize shock risk, then the risk of shock initiation is reduced, but the jet may miss the fuzing system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes jet parameters (narrow width, controlled velocity, specific length) to balance penetration capability with shock minimization. The jet is configured with precise dimensional parameters that enable it to reach and disable the fuzing system while maintaining low enough impact pressure to avoid shock initiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by positioning and orienting the disrupter to pre-align the narrow jet trajectory with the expected location of the fuzing system before detonation. This preliminary positioning ensures the concentrated jet energy reaches the critical component despite the narrow width.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The HPD effectively disables the fuzing system of IEDs by forming a precise, narrow jet that covers the entire target height, minimizing the risk of explosion and ensuring reliable disruption without over-penetration or shock initiation, suitable for various environments and depths.
Implementation Method 1
mass focusing high explosive shaped charge
Implementation Method 2
conformable layer of explosives configured for explosive initiation by a detonator
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are mass focusing shaped charges and related methods useful for disrupting targets in either underwater or on land. The mass focusing shaped charges comprise an explosives shell having an explosives shell surface, wherein at least a portion is curved and defines an inner volume configured to contain an inner volume of fluid or a metal liner. A distal body is comprising a SMART material is positioned between the inner volume of fluid and a to-be-disrupted target. A conformable layer of explosives conforms to at least a portion of a surface of the explosives shell, the conformable layer of explosives configured for explosive initiation by a detonator. Upon explosive initiation the inner volume of fluid or metal liner is forcefully ejected to form a fluid or metal jet in a direction through the distal body and toward the target.